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“It’s a sleepover at the house of one of the girl’s from school, but I can’t have my girls sleeping at random people’s houses.”
“You don’t know the parents?”
“Naw, the little girl’s name is Patty…”
Cam sat up a little, “Patty! Patty invited them to her party?”
“Yes?” I said, looking at Cam confused. “How do you know Patty?”
“The girls talk about her all the time. She is the popular girl at the school. If they were invited to her party, it’s a big deal,” Cam explained.
“They made it seem like a huge deal, but I can’t leave my daughters in the care of strangers.”
“When I was in school, there was a girl named Mya. Mya invited me to her sleepover, but my foster mother wouldn’t let me go. All the girls in my class went except for me. That’s all they talked about for weeks after it happened. Missing that party changed the trajectory of my friendships with those girls…”
“Cam…” I deadpanned.
“Morris, I’m serious. I know I sound dramatic as hell, but little girls connect like that. This party invite gives them status. Isn’t that why you put your kids in those little Ivy League elementary schools for the connections?”
“I put them in that school for the education.”
“Education is more than reading, writing, and arithmetic. It’s also learning how to interact with people and survive in society. Look, I don’t have kids, but if there is a way for you to feel more comfortable with them going to that party, then I think you should explore it. I know how important this is to them and I really don’t want them to miss it. Maybe you can ask to speak with or even meet with the parents? Rich people love mingling and crap.”
I folded my arms and rested my back on the bleacher behind me. I’d heard Patty’s name more than once, so I knew how much the girls admired her. They did talk to Cam when they got their hair done, so if what she said was true, and them missing the party would cause their social growth to stunt? Then I had to figure something else out.
“I will look at the invitation and see if there is some contact information for the parents. I will call and talk with them,” I announced.
“You’re a great dad, Morris,” Cam smiled.
I waved Cam’s sarcastic remark away.
“No, I’m being serious right now,” she said and placed her hand on my forearm. “The way you care for those girls is amazing to watch. They are lucky.”
“I have good friends to help me,” I winked.
* * *
After sleeping on Cam’s advice about the girls’ invitation to Patty’s birthday party, I decided to reach out to Patty’s mother to introduce myself and ask some questions.
“Hello, this is Sallie Chadwick,” the female voice said on the other end.
“Good morning, my name is Morris Owens. My daughters attend school with your daughter, Patty. I am calling because they received an invitation to the birthday party and I had a few questions.”
“Good morning, Mr. Owens. You must be Skylar and Phoenix’s dad?”
“I am.”
“My daughter speaks very highly of your daughters. What questions can I answer for you?” Sallie asked.
“If I can be candid, I’m not too keen on allowing my children to spend the night with people that I don’t know.”
“I hear you and I feel the same way. I’ve been expecting some calls, well from the black families, anyway,” Sallie said. “Our girls are only a few of the black kids at the school. I am glad they connected.”
“I am too. I was concerned about moving them to the school and away from their old neighborhood, but they are doing well. So, can you tell me how this party will work?”
“My oldest daughter and my sister will help me with the girls who attend the party. My husband and my son will be gone the entire weekend. They won’t be in the house while the girls are there. I wouldn’t want men in a home where my daughters were spending the night. My husband actually volunteered to stay away. Neither he nor my son wants to be in a house full of little girls,” she laughed.
“And the party is from Friday night to Sunday afternoon?”
